What is bungee fitness
From English bungee is translated as an elastic nylon cable. Bungee fitness is a group program using similar cables. They relieve some of the load and provide a feeling of weightlessness.
A person puts on a special fastening belt that wraps around the waist and hips, and is fastened to an elastic rope fixed to the ceiling. Such a device allows you to easily and safely perform high jumps, free falls, tricks and spins in the air.
In addition to aerial acrobatics, bungee fitness classes include strength training and dance elements. All this is done to energetic music.
The very direction of bungee fitness was founded by It’s Bungee, Babe / Bangkok Post in one of the Thai dance studios in 2016 and in just a couple of years has gained wild popularity in the world.
Why You Should Try Bungee Fitness
There are several reasons to go for weightless training.
To pump endurance without the risk of overloading the joints
Bungee fitness workouts are done at medium to high intensity and include long stretches of movement without rest. For example, when learning certain elements or repeating dance combinations.
Working on a pulse of about 130-150 beats per minute will develop overall endurance, improve the condition of the cardiovascular system and increase daily calorie expenditure. At the same time, due to the support of the elastic cable, you do not risk getting pain in the knees or lower back.
To strengthen muscles
Combinations of jumps, squats and lunges, performed intensively and many times, provide a good load on the hips, buttocks and core muscles.
Some elements also include arms, chest and shoulders. For example, “butterfly” is a push from an emphasis while lying with hands and feet, followed by a hover in the air.
To improve coordination and flexibility
In bungee fitness classes, you not only learn the exercises, but also perform them in strict sequence as part of a dance combination. This improves coordination of movements, pumps agility and a sense of balance.
In addition, dance and acrobatic elements develop joint mobility, increasing the range of motion without additional stretching.
To get a charge of positive emotions
Due to the elastic cables, you can hover in the air after jumping, slide and rotate above the floor. Of course, learning complex acrobatic elements requires some preparation, but you can enjoy the feeling of flying already in the first minutes of the lesson.
Who Shouldn’t Do Bungee Fitness
Like any type of physical activity, bungee fitness has its contraindications. This group program is not suitable for the following diseases and conditions:
- pregnancy;
- healing after caesarean section and any other operations – less than 6 months;
- glaucoma;
- scoliosis, intervertebral hernia and protrusion (in the presence of pain syndrome);
- arrhythmia, coronary heart disease and other serious diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- problems with the respiratory system, especially bronchial asthma;
- phlebeurysm;
- mental and neurological diseases, epilepsy;
- weight over 100 kg.
If you are overweight, you should choose less intense types of exercise so as not to harm the heart and joints.
How does a bungee fitness class work?
As a rule, a workout lasts 60 minutes and consists of three parts: a warm-up, a general part and a cool-down.
The warm-up takes place without ropes and includes a standard set of exercises designed to warm up the main muscle groups and prepare the body for more intense loads.
At the end of the lesson, participants unfasten themselves from the ropes and perform a hitch. It may include stretching exercises and myofascial release – rolling on massage rollers and balls. All this helps to restore breathing and heartbeat, stretch and relax tired muscles.
Is it possible to do bungee fitness at home
Bungee fitness equipment can be ordered online. A complete set will cost 7-20 thousand rubles, however, for comfortable classes, you will need not only a rope and fasteners, but also a spacious room.
The room should have a high ceiling – ideally at least 3 meters, as well as enough free space in all directions from the cable so that you can freely scatter for jumps and perform various elements without fear of hitting furniture or a wall.
If there is not enough space at home, find a studio in your city and sign up for a class. It will be much easier and cheaper.
How to Prepare for Your First Bungee Fitness Class
For training, you only need sportswear that does not restrict movement and comfortable sneakers. It is also worth taking a bottle of water and a towel with you. Since bungee fitness is an intense cardio, you will most likely sweat a lot.
Coach Alina Belavina says that the first workouts can be difficult, because the body has not yet adapted to the new type of load and the rope behind the back, but it is already necessary to remember the movements and maintain high intensity.
But at the same time, anyone can master the work with bungee, regardless of the level of training. In addition, in the first lessons, in any case, you will learn the simplest elements and ligaments and repeat them many times. And as a result, you will get a good cardio load and a lot of impressions.